Gowns, such as medical gowns, are well-known and have long been used to provide personal protection for the wearer, including patients, medical staff, health-care workers, hospital visitors, and others. A common gown design includes a closed front and an open back which allows the user or wearer to place their arms through arm holes or sleeves, and then tying straps on the back of the gown to close the open back. Some gowns also utilize straps on the top back of the gown to tie behind the user's neck, or alternatively, a hook and loop closure. Some gowns utilize waist ties on the back or sides of the gown which can be wrapped to the front or side of the gown for tying. All of these prior art gown designs utilizing the waist tie straps require manipulation by the person wearing the gown to reach behind their back to grasp the waist tie strap, and then tie the straps for closure of the back of the gown and securement of the gown. These manipulations are time-consuming and can be difficult or painful, particularly for persons having back, neck, shoulder injuries or issues. Obese people also may have trouble reaching behind their back to grasp a conventional tie strap. In some instances, the help of a colleague is needed who can pass the waist tie from behind the patient's back to the front to tie the gown closed, which takes additional time, and removes the colleague from other work or care for another person or patient.
Therefore, there is a need for a quick and simple gown design that allows the patient or healthcare professional or worker to put on their own gown, without assistance of another person and without reaching behind their back.
Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a gown having a waist tie which can be easily grasped by the person wearing the gown and manipulated to tie the gown closed, without reaching behind their back.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a medical gown having a pair of tie straps which can be easily reached by the wearer for tying the gown on the front or side.
A further objective of the present invention the provision of a gown having a waist tie strap which is temporarily and releasably secured near a shoulder portion of the gown so as to extend from the back edge upwardly over the shoulder and then downwardly for easy grasping by the wearer from the front of the waist or the chest.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a gown having an elongated waist tie strap which extends upwardly from a back edge of the gown, over the wearer's shoulder, and downwardly along the front of the gown for gripping by the person wearing the gown or an assistant.
Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of an open-back medical gown having a waist tie strap which can be grasped on the front of the gown and pulled above the wearer's head, then across and downwardly for tying on the front of the gown, without the wearer reaching behind their back.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an open-back medical gown which can be tied quickly and easily on the front or side to close the open back, without reaching behind the back.
A further objective of the present invention is a provision of a quick tie medical gown which is easy and cost effective to manufacture, durable, safe, and protective in use.
These and other objectives become apparent from the following description of the invention.